Manifesto from the Russian Opposition in English

A few days ago Boris Nemtzov in his blog published a document called “Manifest of Free Russia” where he discussed how to get rid of Vladimir Putin and, in particular, Putinism system and what could be done after Putin era. The Manifesto will be presented and discussed during another oppositional protest on 12 June – a national holiday of the Russian Federation, celebrated since 1992.

Putin has just signed a severe anti-protests law that could easily weaken the opposition movement. People participating in protests where public order is violated, will be fined up to 300.000 rubles (about 9.000 $) and the organizers of such protests could end up with a fine of 600.000 up to 1 million rubles. Before the new law, the maximum fine was 5.000 rubles.

FREE RUSSIAN MANIFESTO

“Protests in Russia on June 12 will be an important event in anti-crime peaceful revolution started in December 2011.

The current supreme power in Russia is illegal. Putin and his team have usurped it on false and fraudulent elections. Being cynical usurpers, they are not able to solve any social or economic problems of the country: the extinction of the nation continues, there is no security of citizens, the gap between the rich and the poor grows, as grows the difference in living standards between Moscow and Russia. Keeping in the power Putin’s group is fatal for the country. Degradation of the state, merging of business and government, illicit enrichment close to the ruling group of persons, the transformation of the country’s raw materials as appendage of the West and China is a fact. Continuation of Putin’s policies threaten civil confrontation, the collapse of the state and chaos.

According to the Constitution, the source of power in Russia lies in the people. The people have a legitimate right to peaceful mass protest to put pressure on the government and its shifts.

Our actions

Protection of political freedom is, without doubt, linked with the fight for social and economic rights. The election fraud helps Putin’s dictatorship to implement policies that are aimed against the interests of the majority. Therefore, we seek to change it at all levels – political, cultural, social, economic – changes in the interest of all citizens.

All forms of peaceful civil protest should be used: marches, rallies, strikes, civil disobedience campaign and peaceful pressure on the authorities. Building a peaceful protest, its mass will lead to permanent loss of confidence in the government and many people, now loyal to the regime of social groups, representatives of law enforcement, deputies, businessmen, experts and intellectuals will take sides with the people.

The responsibility for preparing and carrying out protest actions will be on the Coordinating Council, composed of representatives of various political forces and civil society, and elected by a transparent procedure of open voting. We call on all responsible citizens to take part in the vote.

The presence of our allies in elected bodies is important. And although, we can not change the power during Putin’s election, elective procedures can play a significant role in the dismantling of the current flawed system.

Dialogue between the most important part of the ruling class and the masses must ensure a bloodless nature of the transition from dictatorship of thieves to democracy (including, as well, the mechanism of the Round Table). The current government and its elite must realize that the responsibility for another, inevitably catastrophic scenario for the country will fall on them.

After Putin

Necessary reconstruction of the destroyed state institutions, the mechanisms of democracy, including the real parliament, controlled by the community executive power, which only obeys to the laws of courts, prosecutors and law enforcement agencies. We strive to make the transition to a new state power smoothly and to avoid social upheaval. We believe it is necessary to dismantle the political system within the Constitution.

The following are the main measures to be taken to create the basic, fundamental political, legal and moral foundations of society and the state:

1. Resignation of Vladimir Putin as a symbol of the current system.

2. Draft of a new law on elections to Parliament, ensuring the election of the parliament in a fair, transparent, competitive elections. These projects must take into account the demands, made during the mass protests.

3. The adoption of this law by the Parliament. This will be its last and only function.

4. Under new legislation, new elections to Parliament.

5. The newly elected Parliament shall consider and submit to a referendum a draft of the new Russian Constitution, substantially limiting the powers and stay in the power of the President (one term of six years or two to four years) and broaden Parliament’s powers in the formation of the government and the parliamentary investigations.

6. The newly elected Parliament passes new presidential election law and fixes the date of the elections. Laws passed to ensure local government and direct elections of governors.

7. The newly elected Parliament shall consider and adopt the law on the transformation of the court, prosecution, investigation and the police, involving purification of them from persons who committed crimes. It also adopts a new law on the referendum, significantly facilitating its procedure.

We hundreds of thousands of people, going to streets, turn to you, millions of people who are still silent. We – one nation, we are 99% – against 1 % of usurped power and property. We can only change our lives together.